As we begin our final week of camp, I want you to look back and see how far you’ve come in just three short, though seemingly long, weeks. Even those of you that have been in camp for a year or two. I know that even yall were sore those first few weeks and struggling with the workouts. Admit it, it felt great to be back and pushing yourself, right? I love watching you dig in and fight to improve every week.

And our newbies are doing great! I’ve got to give a special shout out here to One Pack, Scott, and Sheri for having such great attitudes. Yall did not complain, cry, pout, slug me, or use the four-letter word I hate most: can’t. You worked through the fear factor, the strange environment, the bizarre positions, the impossible exercises, and the never ending demands. And then you did it again and again, each time with greater determination and higher goals. That’s impressive, folks. And you should all be very proud of yourselves.

The fact is, you have control over our workouts every day. You set the bar based on your personal ambitions and objectives. You determine the size weight, the number of reps, the speed, and the intensity. Tomorrow’s Burst Workout is a great example of how two people in the same camp can get a completely different workout based on their personal goals. I suspect many of you will opt to tomorrow as a “power day” with heavier weights. Your arms will be spaghetti and your lower extremities will be barking. Others will opt for light weights and a quicker pace to make it a big cardio blast. Yall will burn more calories and will be limping in a completely different way.

My point is, you each have are working towards individual milestones. And that means you each take a different approach to the assignment ahead of you. Please don’t compare yourself to any other camper. Let them inspire you, let them push you, let them light your fire. But don’t think that they are better than you because they are faster. Or because they use 8s. Or because they can do more reps. Let them worry about that- you need to focus on YOUR workout, and getting the most out of it that you can. And if your goal is to do what a co-camper is doing or be at their level, then let’s make a plan and work on it together.

I may push you hard, but it is ultimately your decision to determine how you respond.

I can’t wait to do post-evaluations next week, but I know many of you are anxious to see the numbers because your scale at home hasn’t budged or, God forbid, the number has gone up! As I suggested to yall the other day, the scales are a good tool to measure your fitness progress, but they don’t always tell the full story (which is why we use the tape, BMI, and other methods).

Our raw scale weight number is the sum total of our muscles, organs, bones, fat, water, and “waste”. The scales can shoot up rapidly whether we are pigging out or working out, but it is important to know what those extra pounds are really made of.

For example, I eat healthy most of the time, but I kick up my heels a bit (too much) on the weekends, and the result is big number on the scales Monday/Tuesday morning. This past weekend resulted in a 7 pound gain, even though I walked a total of 32 miles that weekend. But that doesn’t mean I gained 7 pounds of fat. In fact, virtually all of that gain is from the resulting water (from exercise and increased junk food sodium) and waste (you know). I resumed my clean eating for four days and this morning I’m down 8 pounds.

Once again, virtually all of that loss is water and waste. We’ve talked about the waste/detoxing stuff before, so let’s look at why water affects the scales so much. There are a number of factors that determine how much water we retain:

• Hormones -. Thanks to an increase in hormones every month, we women folk enjoy bloating and weight fluctuations. These damn hormones cause gas and waste to move more slowly through our intestinal tract. And I think that is justification enough for being a little bitchy.

• Carbohydrates – when we enjoy a carb-fest, these decadent delights are broken down and stored in our muscles and liver in the form of glycol (good energy). Each molecule of glycol stores four water molecules along with it. Bread = bloat= big numbers, my friends. Note here that once these carbs/glycol run out of muscle storage (because you ate more pizza than you have muscle), they will be converted into fat. I can’t believe I just typed that word “pizza” on a Friday, when I am at my weakest. Crap. I sense trouble come Monday.

• Lean mass – muscle tissue is comprised of 75% water, where fat holds 25%. So, while the muscle tissue is smaller and looks better in your jeans than the old fat, this new muscle weighs more on the scale because of the accompanying water. Take it one step further- the more muscle we have, the more heavy glycol our bodies can store (for increased energy). Double water whammy- but it is a good whammy!

• Sodium levels – if you eat anything that comes out of a box or a can, I can almost guarantee you that you are retaining unnecessary water. I don’t have salt in my house and I eat pretty healthy, but my sodium intake still exceeds the daily limit fairly often. The best way to lose these BAD water pounds is by drinking more water. I know that sounds like something a Gamecock would say, but it is indeed true. Flush the sodium and retained water by chugging good water.

So what does all of this really mean to you? Yall are exercising like crazy at camp- burning fat and building muscles. That new muscle weighs more because of the water it requires. Your increasing muscles (and liver) are stocked with heavy glycol so that you can use said muscles. These are really good things! But they don’t have a very nice way of showing that when we step on the scales.

Now, I’m not advising you to dabble in scale manipulation here, but if you want to test my many unsolicited tips to get a lower number on the scale next week, spend the next few days doing this: • drink detox tea • soak in a detox tub (1 pound Epsom salt and 1 cup –yes cup- baking soda) • eat clean (lean protein and vegees. No dairy, pasta/bread/processed carbs, grains, or even fruit) • no alcohol or really limit yourself to just this weekend • drink your body weight, in ounces, in water EVERYDAY • drink warm water with a whole lemon first thing every morning • sleep • stretch (aids muscle recovery) • take a 30-60 minute walk tomorrow and Sunday • come to camp every day next week- no hooky!

Can’t wait to see your numbers next week! And celebrate with you at our happy hour on Friday! Any predictions on our cone winners?

Seriously, yall should all be very proud of the way you stuck with that workout today. There aren’t too many people that would rise to the challenge to complete that kind of insanity. This is a perfect example of the difference between you, a boot camper, and all your gym rat/I run everyday/don’t have the time/there’s no way friends. Our campers come in all shapes and sizes but there is one very important trait you all share: personal drive.

A lot of people say they have it, but yall embody the term. You committed to changing your behavior, your life. You didn’t just sit back and wish it to happen (while eating pizza on the couch). You made a decision to do something bold. You joined camp. And every day since then, you’ve channeled that same intensity into your workouts. You give 100%, even on the days you don’t think you have it in you.

Just look at today. You got your assignment, you rolled your eyes, and you cussed me under your breath (or quite loudly!). But the challenge was on and you, with the “I can do anything for 10 seconds” attitude multiplied to the nth degree, set off to prove that you indeed could crank out 81 squats, 81 flys, 81 pushups, and 81 spidyplanks… in less than 9 minutes. Seriously, who does that? Do you know one person that would even be willing to take the challenge, much less not quit after two sets? If so, is he 45ish and single?

I digress. So after completing all that nonsense, you then politely accept 10 minutes of getting the wind knocked out of your already tender gut, only to learn that your reward is NOT dropsy right/dropsy left. No, sir. You’re gonna do the whole stinkin thing over again- and this time faster. You had the most priceless expressions. And gestures.

You didn’t believe me, but guess what? Every single camper- in all three camps- smashed the hell out of their original time. A challenge was issued. You accepted. You conquered.

Now tell me camp, and life, isn’t a mental game.

Damn, yall make me so proud. Bring on tomorrow!

I want to talk to yall for a moment about goal-setting. After all, tis the season for resolutions and self-improvement, right? Now before I go getting all high and mighty from atop my soapbox, please know that I am incredibly proud of each of you for doing camp. I know the time, money, commitment, and hard work required to get your butt kicked every day, so please don’t think that I’m poo-pooing your efforts. In fact, I want you to use camp as your spring board to accomplish other seemingly impossible challenges you’ve secretly yearned to do, and/or let your camp experiences change the way you think about achieving your fitness goals.

Here are a few examples of what I mean. Let’s start with the fun stuff, like planning a vacation. Oooh, yeah, that’s a tough goal, huh? Well, by planning our vacations now, we are committing to take time off from work which is hugely important in and of itself. It also requires most of us to dust off the piggy bank and begin saving for the trip (and who doesn’t feel better with tighter fiduciary goals?). And then there’s the all important fitness aspect of a vacation- have you ever honestly gone on a trip without considering your weight/body/clothes? Plan that spring break to Disney now, and lay out the pair of shorts you want to wear with Mickey. Hang them from your fridge if necessary.

Consider signing up for a 5k or similar event. Walk it. Walk/run it. Just pick a “race” that is important to you for whatever reason (most are for a charity, but I always pick my races based on their location— vacation + race = 2 goals!). The cool thing about registering for an event like a 5k, 10k, half marathon, or whatever, is that it gives you an exact deadline to be physically and mentally conditioned. You register, you pay, you commit. Then you train, and I can create a custom training schedule for you to incorporate with/without boot camp. If walking/running isn’t your cup up detox tea, then consider a biking event or a muddy buddy obstacle course or a kayaking competition. No matter what the activity, the training and conditioning will motivate you to new extremes. And the pride that you have after crossing the finish line is so much more satisfying than just sitting on Mickey’s lap in your college shorts (not that there’s anything wrong with that!).

Share your knowledge with others. Help a friend workout once a week and pass on what you’ve learned at camp. Inspire others with your own story and hold each other accountable for a Saturday morning walk. Or do a little boot camp class in your garage with some of your neighbors that think you’re crazy. Get your kids involved and explain to them why Fruit Loops are not part of the food pyramid. Tell them why you are trying to eat healthier and exercising more, and that you need their support. Unless you have a teenager, chances are they will jump at the chance to help you and they’ll bombard you with good questions. Teach others what you have learned, Grasshopper. It will reinforce your commitment and inspire you to stay the course.

As always, you’ve inspired me to step up my own game and re-evaluate my goals. I honestly believe that goal-setting is one of the most important ingredients to a rewarding and exciting life. There’s just nothing sweeter than the taste of personal accomplishment.

See yall tomorrow for The Perfect Ten!

I trust all of you are enjoying this beautiful weather by getting in a few miles of walking, running, biking, or such… right? Hello? Anyone there?

Ah yes, the deafening sound of silence. Seriously, depending on your fitness goals, most of you should be adding a few calorie burns outside of camp. The truth is, we should be exercising 5-6 times a week. So complement your boot camp routine by adding in a few days off cross training with a long walk or bike ride, or a yoga DVD, or a healthy round of fun on the Wi.

And while I’d love for you to make each workout an hour, you still get lots of benefits from a quick 30 minute burst of activity so don’t let your crazy schedule keep you from getting off the couch right now. I recently watched a great youtube video called 23 and a Half Hours. I want each of you to take five minutes from the football game and watch this video. Then forward it to everyone you know. Even with its Gamecock ties, it is a clever and entertaining presentation that could save this country billions of dollars, and provide Americans with the “magic pill” they so crave. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo&sns=fb

Enough lecturing for the day. Let’s talk about Week 2! We are going to burn a ton of calories the next few days. Weather permitting, here’s what’s on the itinerary:

Monday – Suicides (we need to rename this so we don’t freak out the newbies)

Tuesday – Perfect 10

Wednesday – Threepeat

Thursday – a supersized Challenge Workout. I revamped it so there’s a lot more cardio and greater intensity throughout. I think you’re going to like it a lot more, even though it is much harder.

And, much to your dismay, I haven’t forgotten about your One Small Changes- we’ll chat about them tomorrow.

Have a great afternoon, my friends!

Don’t forget that tomorrow is Friend Day so please extend an invitation to your family, neighbors, colleagues, or anyone else that doesn’t go screaming from the room with the mere mention of “boot camp”. I know from experience that the room is usually empty by the time you even get to the “but it is really fun” part. But throw them in the car anyway just so they can see how hard you are working.

As I was attaching the One Small Change document to this email, I couldn’t help but think about all the changes I’ve made these last few months. I can honestly say that I no longer crave my coveted beer. And I’m pretty much over the whole carb thing, though I think I’ll always have a weakness for bakery treats. I’m also pretty much done with processed foods (everything that comes in a box, can, or jar). But much to my surprise, the thing I found most difficult to give up is sugar.

I never thought I had a sweet tooth, but once I started reading ingredients more carefully, I realized that most of my diet was filled with the junk. And a lot of it was the fake stuff, which is even bigger junk. It has taken me a long time to get my head around the science, lies, and marketing of sugar. But I feel a lot more confident about the choices I make and I want to pass on some of the info I put together. I did my best to keep it short and sweet (ha!), but you know me— there’s a two page attachment if you have the time/interest in reading it.

I do want to challenge all of you to think about your One Small Change for this camp. I know the vast majority of you have been in camp so long that you’ve tackled every darn thing on the list, but yall always come up with even better ones to do. So look at your life right now and ask yourself what kind of change you could make that would give you the most satisfaction, peace, pride, or have the greatest effect on your life. It is a new year and a time to make real changes, not hokey resolutions that everyone expects you to break. What is important to you- what change do you really want to see in your life? Once you know what it is, quantify it and make a plan to make it reality. We’ll talk about them on Thursday while you’re dealing with the other challenge at hand: the new Challenge Workout!!!

See you and your buddies tomorrow!

So I’m sure today probably seemed a bit harsh, but even our seasoned vets know that Day One is always the toughest… and that doesn’t matter whether it is your very first day of camp or your 20^th Day One. It is just a matter of getting (back) into a routine and getting your body (re)accustomed to the workouts. Trust me, you’ll be doing Tabatas with your eyes closed by next week.

We’re going to slowly ease into things the next few days. Tomorrow is a group workout that takes us through a LONG list of exercises in rapid (30 second) fire. It is fast and furious. Wednesday will be “Friend Day” where we invite your friends/family to join us for a fun partner workout. They always leave with a new found respect for you! Thursday is our Challenge Workout- enough said! Mwahahahahahahaha.

I’ve gotten lots of emails today about detox tea so let me use our first official email of the new year to talk about poop. Think of your colon/GI tract as the waste management station of your body- it gets rid of all the garbage/toxins. It is a maze that stretches between 30-50 feet. Process that for a second and then you’ll be able to appreciate why it takes 35-55 hours to complete the trip from “head to toe”.

What’s the big deal, you ask? Well, the average person has between, 7-10 pounds of old fecal in their colon— even when they poop every day. And if that isn’t horrifying enough, this accumulated waste on the walls of your colon creates the perfect breeding ground for parasites, yeast, bad bacteria, and viruses. That spells disease for you, my friends. Most American’s detoxification pathways are essentially blocked, allowing toxins to build up. It is estimated that the average Joe is exposed to 123 toxic chemicals each day from food, water, air, stress, and personal care products. Those chemicals are trapped in Joe’s body because they can’t get through the clogged maze.

Anyway, there are many ways to flush your system but I think the simplest approach is to drink detox tea. I started chugging this stuff by the gallon a few months ago. Yes, I literally drink one gallon of herbal, decaffeinated, detox tea every day (plus a gallon of lemon water). I will spare you the details, but let’s just say that after the first few days, it was “evident” that I was the average Joe. I dropped 14 pounds in a week. That is both thrilling and disgusting, isn’t it?

The brand I prefer is Triple Tea Leaf and they have two detox teas that I like and I’m attaching photo so you know what to look for. Their regular detox tea (in the gold box) is gentle enough to drink several bags a day. I also do the cheesy-sounding Super Slimming tea (red box) every night. If you’re interested in trying this stuff, I would suggest that you start out slowly and test the waters. You can find them in the grocery stores either in the tea section or in the organic food aisle.

Well, on that note, it is time for me to eat dinner. Lovely!

Keep drinking your water and stretch as much as you can before going to bed. I’ll see you superstars tomorrow!

I’ve put an outline together for this entire camp so I’ll be able to give you a weekly update of what is scheduled for the week. Yall have absolute freedom in choosing which days/times/locations you want to attend. Jump around as much as you want- whatever is best with your schedule. We will be doing the pushup/situp training on Mondays, along with a circuit workout to get the rest of the body. Thursdays will also include the pushup/situp training, however it has been incorporated into a bigger Challenge Workout that we will do each week. You will track your progress and see for yourself just how much stronger you are getting. Wednesdays will continue to be our biggest cardio day of the week, and Tuesday is a wildcard- it will vary week to week.

I’m attaching the pushup/situp training schedule and you will note that this is a 3x week commitment and I really want each of you to promise me you’ll do your homework on Saturdays. If you have a kid over 7, have them do it with you. Put them in Level 1 and/or adjust the reps for their age and fitness level. They will hold you accountable and you can turn this homework into fun family time. Alright, so you’re not buying that, but still promise me that you’ll do your homework, okay? And naturally, if you miss one of our Mondays or Thursdays, then you need to do your reps at home so you can stay with us. No camper left behind!

We will continue to do evaluations tomorrow so come early or plan on staying a little late. Most of you know how much I despise using scales as the litmus test for success. Especially when they’ve been so unkind to us these last two weeks! Just remember that the scale’s accuracy is dependent on your hydration level. You can be stick thin but if your hydration level stinks, the scales cannot get a good reading and your body fat, muscle mass, bone density, age, etc will all be in the toilet. So while we all know that drinking water is important to lose weight, it is also important if you want to quantify it on our scales (see attached summary of how these body comp scales work).

I want yall to think long and hard about your One Small Change for this camp. We have eight weeks so perhaps you want to try a tiered change this time? Like for our sugarholics in the 8am class, perhaps cut back to one dessert a day for the first four weeks of camp and then limit it to one dessert a week for the last half of camp. Each of you know what bad habit haunts you and sabotages you- figure out a way to control it this camp. Gang, yall know that if I can stop drinking beer (during football season- while my Tigers are #5 in the country!) then ANYTHING is possible. You’ve got to really want it though. Otherwise you’ll justify the cheats and it will all become meaningless within a week. Just think about how much more satisfying it will be at the end of this camp when you’ve not only done 100 pushups, 200 situps, and reached a dozen other remarkable milestones, but you’ve actually nailed your biggest nemesis and downfall. That is pure pride, pure joy. Nothing tastes as good as that feeling. And that feeling is even more addictive than any ice cream, pizza, drive thru, beer, or unplugged alarm clock could ever be.  

Buckle your seats, mighty campers. It’s going to be one hell of a ride!

I’m not going to go on and on and on and on about how proud I am of yall. Even though I really am. What I really want is for each of you to appreciate what you’ve accomplished since you started camp- whether than was four weeks or fourteen camps ago.

The scales and the tape can only tell part of the story. Your clothes might provide another chapter. The comments and high fives you get from your kids, spouse, friends, and colleagues are a pretty sweet read, for sure. But the plot to this storyline is how you feel about yourself. The story book ending we all want is to feel good in our skin.

I loved hearing yall talk at Happy Hour last night. Some of you were a little down because the scales were not kind to you. But you realize that you’re not doing this to impress a scale. And you’re probably not even doing this to impress anyone else (though that is always a nice secondary motivation!). You’re getting your butt whooped and making all sorts of changes in your life because you want to feel better about you. The very fact that you signed up for camp, showed up for camp, and did camp should make you feel good.

The fact that you are faster, stronger, more coordinated, and more confident has GOT to make you feel good about yourself. Most of you kicked butt on your one small changes, too (minus a buck or two!). Many of you did exercises and/or used bigger weights and/or did more reps than you ever thought possible. And all of you are admired and respected by each of your fellow campers (and me). If all that doesn’t swell your heart and head with self-worth, pride, and a sense of accomplishment, then I don’t know what to say!

What also gave me goose bumps last night was hearing how excited folks are about the journey that still lies ahead. Face it, we never really get to that point where we’re completely happy with our body- and even if we come to a happy place of contentment, we still have to work our butts off to stay there. I loved hearing yall talk so enthusiastically about what you still WANT to do, as compared to “Yeah, but I still have to do so-and-so.” That positive energy and anticipation is why you have already succeeded- and will continue to do so.

I know yall have better things to do on your Saturdays than read yet another novel from me. But I want each and every one of you to be proud of yourself. You work 75% harder than any of your gym friends and 100% harder than your “Oh, I walk three miles a day” friends. So yeah, be a little petty and at least appreciate that!

On Monday, I’ll send yall some info on next camp and some suggestions to do over break. In the meantime, raise your glasses and celebrate YOU!

So here we are at the start of Week 3. How do you feel (other than the gigantic pain in your ass right now)? Are you proud of yourself for sticking with it? Are you excited that you’ve remained faithful to your one small change? Are you starting to feel a little less jiggly around the middle and seeing muscles pop on your arms and legs? Doesn’t it feel awesome?

Momentum is a powerful tool and whenever we find it, we need to grab it by its horns and maximize the ride. If you’re feeling all pumped and are looking forward to next week’s post-evaluations, congratulations! You have indeed discovered that the most important change we can make is the one in our heads. It is all about a positive attitude and putting the past behind us. No matter how far you still may have to go in your fitness journey, you are well on your way and you’ve got momentum carrying you during the tough times.

If you’re not feeling so energized, and/or you feel like you’ve slipped a bit or if you’ve been in camp a while and you feel like you’re in a rut, you gotta change the formula a bit. Even if you’re working your smokin’ hot tight butt off at camp, you may not be feeling/seeing the results because of some poor eating habits. How many times have you stared at yourself in the mirror and promised yourself, “This is the day. The cheating stops today. No more binging. No more fast food. No more sugar until I can fit into these pants.”

Great intentions, but most of us get tripped up along the way. We stumble over office birthday cake, happy hour at Mi Tierra, or some ice cream after our significant he/she pisses us off. Bumps in the road like that are fine. They are expected.

But just like everything else in life, your long-term success, and resulting happiness, lies within your reaction to the poor Ben & Jerry’s BOGO decision. Do you beat yourself up, accept failure, and go to your big event/reunion feeling disappointed in yourself and a bit resentful of everyone else? Or do you work extra hard at camp and during your off-time to compensate for the ice cream and Doritos, realizing that nothing tastes as good as the taste of sweet victory.

The choice is yours. And remember, if you don’t like the path you’re on and the current consequences of your Publix and Mellow Mushroom decisions, you can change it at any time. I hit my reset button three weeks ago and it feels great. I still don’t like the body I see in the mirror, but I celebrate every rep and broccoli floret knowing that they are putting me one step closer to my old (and happy/fit) self.

Let me know if any of you need help with your reset button. We’ll turn it into an Easy Button in no time!

See yall tomorrow for LoCo Baseball. Batter up!